Mistletoe and Holly
by Hawkeye375
Summary: Will's Christmas is about to become a lot less lonely when a certain blonde substitute teacher pays a visit.  Will/Holly, eventually Will/Emma.  Complete.
1. Oh By Gosh, By Golly

Seasons Greetings, all. Relatively new at this so don't shoot me down too much. This story has been rattling around in my head for the past while. For time frame references, I'm making the whole Christmas tree trimming scene happen the day before Christmas Eve. And...I love Holly Holiday. I'd love Gwyneth back on the show full time but I'm sure they can't afford her! This will eventually end up being Will/Emma, though, no fear dear readers!

I don't own/have the rights to anything _Glee._ Damn.

* * *

Will Schuester wandered around his living room, disposing of soda cans and water bottles into the blue plastic recycling bag in his hand. _Quite a night, _he mused to himself as he gathered discarded pizza boxes and potato chip bags and carried them to the garbage chute down the hall from his apartment. He had been surprised and touched by Sue Sylvester's sudden burst of holiday spirit, gathering the glee kids together to help him get through one of the hardest Christmases he'd ever had. Their surprise visit had turned into actual Christmas party, with laughter, and food, and fellowship. And, of course, song. Will hadn't laughed that hard in a long time, especially singing "Twelve Days of Christmas" with everyone, and he and Sue getting stuck with the "five gold rings" verse. After grabbing a beer, Will settled on the couch in front of his newly-decorated Christmas tree and admired his students' handiwork. Tomorrow was Christmas Eve, and he was happy that the tree and his students had finally helped him get into a holiday mood.

A gentle knocking at his door broke him from his reverie. He opened the door to find a tall, pretty blond-haired woman standing before him, freshly fallen snow lightly dusting her hair.

"Holly? Hey, hi…what are you doing here?" Will greeted his friend with a peck on the cheek as he escorted her into his apartment.

"Well, I was at the school just now, Figgins had me filling out some last-minute paperwork….he might actually have a full-time position opening up for me after the holidays," Holly beamed as she removed her coat. "And, as I was walking to my car, I found this…" Holly reached into her coat pocket and retrieved a soggy, bloated leather-bound lump.

Will's eyes widened in surprise. "My wallet!" he exclaimed and instinctively touched the back pocket of his jeans, only to discover his wallet wasn't in its usual place. "I didn't even realize it was missing. Wow, thank you so much." Holly smiled a shy smile. "My pleasure."

Will shook his head slightly at his thoughtlessness as he rifled quickly through the wallet to see if its contents were intact. How could he have lost his wallet? To think of the aggravation of trying to replace all of its contents, especially over the holidays, made him doubly grateful his friend had found it. Thankfully, all of his credit cards were in place. His cash was still even there, though completely soaked.

After fetching a beer for Holly, the pair settled on the couch in front of the fire and the beautiful Christmas tree. "Nice tree," Holly said as she took a swig of beer. Will proceeded to tell her of how it came to be, and how she had just missed seeing the kids by a few minutes. "Wow. You are so lucky. Those kids love you." The two exchanged small talk until the inevitable question came up:

"So, what are you doing for Christmas?"

Holly looked slightly uncomfortable at the question but with a meaningful look from Will she said, "Well, I do pretty much the same thing every year. Tomorrow, Christmas Eve, I first hit the wine store, and stock up on some really expensive Merlot, then I hit Blockbuster and rent the six or eight movies I wanted to see this year but never got around to, and then I hit Yin Lee's for a whole whack of Chinese food. Then, I go home, I decorate my little tree, drink wine, eat Chinese food and watch my movies all night. When the sun comes up, I open my present, which I buy myself and is usually something frivolous that I wouldn't ordinarily buy for myself during the year, then I go to bed. When I wake up, it's Christmas night, and Christmas is done, thank God." Holly rolled her eyes at the end of that statement and took a large gulp of her beer.

Will regarded her for a minute. "Just, by yourself? Sounds kinda lonely."

"Yup," she replied, "just me." Holly looked down and continued softly, "My mom and sister were killed in a car accident when I was 10, so it was just me and my dad all these years until he passed away six years ago. It's not so bad." Holly shrugged and looked down at her bottle as she spoke. "Not much I can do about it."

Holly chuckled and then continued. "My mom loved Christmas. First, she marries a man named "Holiday", then calls me Holly, and my sister Ivy. My dad's name was Christopher but she called him Kris Kringle for the whole month before Christmas."

Again, Holly gave a small dismissive shrug and looked up at Will. "What about you? What are you doing?"

"Pretty much the same as you, laying low. My folks booked a Mediterranean cruise months ago, before I was divorced. My mom offered to cancel to stay home with me for the holidays, but they would've been out thousands, so I told her to go. It's funny, last Christmas I was married with a baby on the way…" Holly looked at him oddly. Will realized that she probably didn't know of the whole pretend-baby fiasco with Terri. "…and this Christmas I had thought I'd be with someone else, but that didn't work out as I had hoped."

Holly eyed Will. "But, you still love this someone else?"

"Yeah, I do. But there's not a damn thing I can do about it. She got married a few weeks ago." Will sighed. Now it was his turn to take a long plug on his beer. "So I guess it's just me."

Holly regarded her friend for a long while. "Quite a pair, aren't we?" she said quietly. Suddenly she looked up at Will. "So…do you maybe want to spend Christmas Eve with me? We could do the whole wine-movies-MSG-laden-food thing together. What do you think?"

Will looked Holly for a moment and a small smile crept upon his handsome features. "I would love to," he said softly.

Holly jumped up and whooped with joy. "Oh, this'll be great! Listen, come by my place tomorrow around noon or so and you can come with me to the wine store, and Blockbuster…what kind of movies do you like? Wait, let me guess. Musicals." She grinned sheepishly at her friend. Before Will could answer, she exclaimed, "Hey! I have something for you, something guaranteed to cheer you up over the holidays when you're feeling blue." Dipping her hand into the other pocket of her coat, she pulled out a small plastic baggie with some green foliage inside, and handed it to Will. "Here, this is for you."

Will stood and took the bag from Holly. He took one look at it and said, "Ohh, no thanks, I don't smoke…"

Before he could finish, Holly said, "Geez, Will, it's not pot, it's mistletoe. Look." She took the bag back, opened it and pulled out a small fresh sprig of green mistletoe, its delicate white berries still clinging to it. "See, what you do is you tuck this bad boy away in your pocket," Holly explained as she put it in the pocket of the vest he was wearing, "and you pull it out if you see a pretty girl you'd like to kiss. She has to kiss you, you know, there's some kind of Christmas statute, or something. This is from a mistletoe plant that used to grow in our house when I was a kid. I've actually kept it alive all these years and harvest a whole bunch every Christmas to give away to my friends."

Holly pulled on her coat and turned to leave. "Now, my address is 295 Westgate Street, apartment…" Before she could finish, Will spun her around by her arm until they were eye to eye. In his left hand he held the mistletoe sprig and brought it above her head, smiled slightly, then lowered his lips to hers and gave her a deliciously light kiss. "…3C," Holly finished breathlessly, when they broke apart. Holly was caught up in the most beautiful hazel eyes she had ever seen, when Will said, "Do you want to go get a cup of coffee?"

Holly smiled and said, "I thought you'd never ask."


	2. Making a List & Checking it Twice

Greetings again, all you lovely readers and thank you for your kind words of encouragement. To the Holly naysayers ... the only reason I'm bringing Holly along for this ride is that I'm damn frustrated with where our beloved Will and Emma are headed so far in Season 2. Nothing like a pointy love triangle to poke out an eye.

I don't own/have the rights to anything _Glee._ Damn.

* * *

Emma Pilsbury was a creature of habit. Everyone knew that. Everyone accepted it. Mostly everyone. While Carl was patient and kind with most of her idiosyncrasies he was also extremely … sneaky. There was no other word for it. He hid her measuring tape when she started to space the Christmas tree ornaments just so. He smothered their tree with tinsel, which he knew she hated (too messy) and refused to use the colour co-ordinated wrapping paper and bows she bought that matched the tree. _Baby steps. Baby steps_, she whispered quietly to herself. It had become her new calming mantra. But nothing prepared her for the day, two days before Christmas, when her doorbell rang.

"Mom? Dad? What...what are you doing here?" Emma exclaimed as she pulled each of her parents into a hug. As she pulled back, she noticed one thing. Neither was smiling.

"Is everything OK? Mom?" Emma's mother burst into tears and pulled her daughter into another hug. "My baby! Married!"

Emma's father looked gruffly at his daughter through hooded eyes, his silver hair and moustache flashing in the overhead lights. "Emma. We are here to accept your invitation to celebrate Christmas with our only daughter and her new husband, whom we haven't even had the honour of meeting."

Emma's eyes grew wide. "Uh, right. Ok, sure daddy, come in, come in…CARL!" Carl came jogging up to the front foyer and immediately stuck out his hand to Emma's father.

"Mr. Pilsbury, sir, Carl Howell." Carl's grin slowly dissipated as the elder man merely glared at him. Carl dropped his hand. He turned his attention to Emma's mother. "Ma'am, it's very nice to meet you." Emma's mother stared at her new son-in-law with watery eyes. "Hmmph," was her reply.

Carl started rambling to save the situation. "Um, OK, I'm sensing some hostility, but that's OK, that's the reason you're here, to get to know me, to get to know Emma and I as a couple, and I'm really glad you accepted our…um, my… invitation to spend Christmas with us." Now it was Emma's turn to stare wide-eyed at her husband. "Uh, honey, could I speak to you in private for just a moment? Now? Mom, daddy, why don't you have a seat and we'll be with you in just a second? I'll make some tea." Emma stormed towards the kitchen before anyone could speak. Carl followed her with some trepidation.

"How could you do this to me? How could you invite them here without telling me? What were you thinking? Carl!" Emma spat in exasperation as the kitchen door closed behind them.

"Calm down, honey, it's all good, this is a good thing…"

"Tell me how this is a good thing. They were furious when I called to tell them we got married in Vegas. Without them. My mother was destroyed! They haven't spoken to me since the wedding! _My father carries a gun, you know_!"

Carl had never seen her so upset. "Emma, Emma, take it easy. The reason they're here is to make peace with them. It is Christmas after all."

Emma hated when he spoke to her like a four-year-old. "OK, Mr. Ideaman, you had better get out there and do some UN peacekeeping, and pronto, before the shit hits the fan!" Carl was taken aback by his wife's comments; she never swore.

Before he could respond, Emma's parents came into the kitchen. "We couldn't help but overhear your little conversation, dear," Emma's mother said. Mr. Pilsbury harrumphed through his silver bushy moustache and crossed his arms over his ample belly. He turned to address Carl.

"Where I come from, it is customary for a suitor to ask the father for his daughter's hand in marriage. We didn't even know you existed until we got the phone call that you had been married! There is only one thing that will 'make peace' with us young lady," he said as he turned to Emma. "Only one thing."

Emma stared wide-eyed at her father. She rarely saw him angry. "Wh-what's that, daddy?"

"You and …. _Carl_ … will be married in a proper church, in a proper church service by a proper Christian minister and NOT an Elvis impersonator…"

"Actually, sir, it was a Frank Sinatra impersonator…" Carl interjected. Emma smacked him on the forearm.

Mr. Pilsbury continued as though he had not heard. "… and pledge your holy vows of matrimony in front of your family and friends. You will wear a white dress, I will walk you down an aisle, you will cut a cake, you will have a first dance with your husband, and you will dance with your father at your wedding." His voice broke slightly at the mention of dancing with his daughter.

Emma's mother continued, "Emma, your father and I have been saving money since you were a little girl to give you the wedding of your dreams. I want to be with you when you pick out invitations and flowers, and try on your wedding gown. Oh my, have you even had a bridal shower?" Mrs. Pilsbury asked.

"Um, no mom, no showers," Emma mumbled.

Mrs. Pilsbury took her daughter's hands in her own. "I want you to experience all these things, Emma._ I _want to experience all these things. You're my only daughter. As our Christmas gift to you and Carl, we will pay for a wedding. But it has to be the week after Christmas before we go home. Travelling is just too hard at our age. We may not get another chance to come here."

Emma was shell-shocked. Of course she wanted a big, white wedding. A Christmastime wedding would be so romantic. She was suddenly overwhelmed with the enormity of planning a wedding in mere days and blanched slightly. She cast a sideways glance at Carl to gauge his reaction.

"I'm in," was all he said.

* * *

"The Wilson's"?

"They're in Europe for Christmas."

"How about Dr. Chesterman and his girlfriend?"

"Acapulco."

"Maybe Fred and Anita from down the street?"

"Do we even know their last names? And you're thinking of inviting them to our wedding?"

Emma and Carl were huddled together at their new dining room table, a list between them.

"Well, I'm sorry, Carl, but we're running out of people. Most the people we're inviting to our party tomorrow all leave town right after Christmas for somewhere warm. And most everyone else has plans for New Year's Eve. We shouldn't have planned the wedding for that day."

"I think you're right. It seemed ideal, a New Year's Eve 'wedding-slash-party.' Seems sort of redundant having everyone come for another party a week after Christmas Eve. But what else are we going to do?" Carl ran a hand through his dark hair and sighed. "What are we up to?"

Emma did a quick check of the number of names on her list. "Um… forty-two. That's not bad, considering. We still need to make fifty or the hall won't rent to us. I _could_ add some people from work…." Emma looked at her husband. She knew that he knew what she was thinking. "I could invite, you know, Figgins, Sue, Shannon, Eleanor McDonald, Pete Dubransky, ….um, Will…" she added in a small voice.

"Schuester? Will Schuster. You'd actually invite him to our wedding?"

"Carl, things have been really weird between he and I since I told him about us getting married. Maybe this could be the opportunity to, I dunno, bury the hatchet. When he sees how…" Emma paused momentarily, grasping for just the right word. "…happy we are."

Upon seeing the sceptical look on Carl's face, Emma suddenly decided it probably wasn't the greatest of ideas. "Okay, maybe not Will…"

"Yeah," Carl interjected. "Let's invite him. It think it's a great idea."

Emma looked at her husband incredulously. "Why is it now such a great idea?"

"He'll see how happy we are together. Maybe he'll leave you alone once and for all."

Emma was dumfounded. Where was this coming from? "Carl, that's just, well, plain mean. He barely speaks to me as it is. He doesn't deserve that."

"Oh, really? And what exactly does he deserve?"

"He deserves our respect, and friendship…" Emma was getting angrier by the second.

Carl scoffed. "He_ deserves _to not be a part of our lives. Period." Carl rose from the table and stalked away.

Emma put Will's name on the list anyway. In pencil.


	3. Take a Look at the Five and Ten

Hello, all. Holy crap but this is long. Sorry 'bout that. Hope you like it.

I don't own/claim rights to anything_ Glee_. Damn. _It's a Wonderful Life _and the other movies mentioned aren't mine, either. But it _is_ Christmas, a time of sharing, _non_?

* * *

Will stirred and opened his eyes. As the events of yesterday flooded over him, he smiled. He had had a great first date (_was it a date_?) with Holly. They had hit the nearby coffee shop and talked for hours. Literally. When the shop closed at midnight, they walked the quiet streets of Lima enjoying each other's company and the unseasonably warm winter night air. Snow was lightly falling. He held her hand. They talked about everything.

He told her all about Terri, about the hellish year he had had because of her lies and deception. Will was touched when Holly teared up at this. "_How could she do that to you? Who would be so cruel, to you of all people?" _He told her all about Emma, how they had courted, how it had all fallen apart, how much he still loved her, even now._ "You have to let her go, you know," said Holly. "She's moved on. I think you need to, too."_

She told him all about Bobby, the man who asked her to marry him when she lived in Cleveland. "_We dated for four months. That's a record for me." "You didn't love him?" asked Will. Holly just shrugged._ They talked about their childhoods, their families, education, past pets, first loves. Everything. It was a remarkable evening. He was surprised just how easy it was to open up to her. When they finally made it back to his place, he walked her to her car.

"_Thanks for tonight," she said. He stepped closer to her, cupped her face in his hands and kissed her gently. "Same here. See you tomorrow?"_

_"Around noon, don't be late," she said._

It sure sounded like a date, he thought. He felt lighter somehow. Like it was all going to be OK, finally. He got out of bed, showered, ate, and left his apartment. He pointed his beat-up old car toward downtown, parked, and made his way back to the five-and-ten he and Holly had walked by last night, back to where something special had caught Will's eye in the store window.

* * *

Just before noon, Will tapped on Holly's door.

"Hey! You made it! C'mon in.." Holly said as she invited Will in.

Will stopped in mid-stride and gazed all around her small apartment. She had transformed it into a winter wonderland, complete with huge three-foot paper snowflakes dangling from the ceiling. Twinkling lights were strung around the room. In the corner was a large beautiful six-foot blue spruce tree, waiting to be garnished, as well.

"Wow," was all that Will could say.

"You like?" Holly asked softly.

"It's amazing...why...?"

"I don't know. This year I just felt like bringing out all of my mom's old decorations again. I haven't wanted to since my dad died. It just finally feels like Christmas should be again."

Will gazed at her and smiled, "I think I know how you feel."

He stepped toward her, wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her close. He kissed her deeply but gently.

"Uh, ok, I've completely lost my train of thought," Holly whispered. She pulled away from him slightly and said, "C'mon cowboy, we have some errands to run. Let me grab my coat."

Holly trundled off to another room to grab her coat and purse. This gave Will the opportunity to slip the small parcel he was carrying under her tree. He grinned when he saw another present under the tree, "_To Will, Merry Christmas, From Holly"_, written on it.

* * *

"Emma, please stand still!" admonished Mrs. Pillsbury, while her daughter stood in front of the mirror at the bridal store, twisting this way and that to get a better look at herself in the bridal gown she wore. The salesclerk was on her knees attempting to pin the dress in certain places, without much luck.

"Sorry mom," smiled Emma.

"You're lucky you're so tiny, you'll have your pick of any of the sample pieces we have. Any alterations that need to be done shouldn't take more than a few hours," said the clerk, rising to her feet.

"I really like this one dear," said Emma's mother.

Emma regarded herself in the mirror again. While this dress wouldn't have been her first pick, her mother really seemed to like it, and at this point, that was good enough for her.

"Me too. We'll take this one," said Emma, addressing the clerk.

"Excellent. I'll meet you out front. Just leave the dress in the fitting room."

Emma and her mother thanked the clerk as the clerk left the room.

"Something on your mind, dear?" asked Mrs. Pillsbury.

"Only about a million things, mom." Emma gave her mom a weak smile.

"Care to share?"

_Where to begin. Where to end, for that matter._

"No mom...it's just...trying to iron out so many details in such a short period of time has me a little frazzled." Emma stepped quickly away from her mother and headed back to the change room.

She couldn't tell her mother that the last time she was in this very room she had danced to one of the most romantic songs she knew with the most romantic man she knew. She couldn't tell her that she had ever been here before, for that matter, because she hadn't told her about the whole Ken debacle. There was a moment of panic when her mother brought her to this store and she was sure that the salesclerk recognized her from the year before. But, being a professional, if the clerk did recognize Emma, she didn't let on.

After she had changed back into her clothes, she exited the changeroom and joined her mother at the cash register. Emma hugged her mother in thanks for the dress and wandered to the front of the store, absent-mindedly gazing out the window at the shoppers walking past. Across the street, she observed a familiar handsome, curly-haired man exiting the liquor store. _Will_, she thought and smiled. Her eyes grew impossibly wider and her face dropped when she observed the beautiful, leggy blonde with him, holding his hand and pausing to kiss him briefly before heading off down the street.

"...Wednesday at the latest. Emma? "

Emma shook her head slightly as she realized her mother had been speaking to her.

"Wha..what?

"They said the dress should be ready by Tuesday, Wednesday at the latest. Are you alright?" Mrs. Pillsbury asked,

"Um, fine, mom." Her voice was barely audible.

* * *

"_Blind Side_?" asked Holly.

"Saw it. How about _Hot Tub Time Machine_?"

"Seriously?" Will shrugged and smiled.

"_Shrek 4_?"

Will looked at her and raised his eyebrows. "Really?"

"OK, fine. Um.. how about _Date Night_?"

"OK. Did you see _Saw VI_?"

"Will, it's Christmas. Let's keep it light, OK?" He grinned at her.

Will and Holly had spent the better part of an hour cruising the racks at Blockbuster.

They had narrowed down the choices, adding _Inception_ and_ Salt,_ when Will suddenly trotted off down and aisle and came back with one more movie.

"We have to watch this one, for sure." Will held up _It's a Wonderful Life._

"You old softie," said Holly leaning up and pecking Will lightly on the lips.

* * *

Half-way through their third movie, most of the moo goo guy pan and a second bottle of Merlot, Will picked up the remote and paused the movie.

"Is it me, or is this movie just really, really, dumb?" he asked, glancing over at Holly, who, still looking at the screen, had a puzzled look on her face.

"I'm confused, was the lawyer the one trying to kill the bartender, and was the bartender the transvestite who kept his mother in the attic? I'm lost."

"Me too." Will jumped up and took the DVD out of the player and popped it back into its case. He grabbed _It's a Wonderful Life _and slipped it into the machine. He rejoined Holly on the couch and snuggled up close to her, letting his arm rest on the back of the couch behind her.

"I mean, spend the money, hire someone who can actually write a intelligible screenplay and ... I forget what I was going to say." She giggled and sipped a bit more wine. Will grinned and did the same. He was having a great evening. They had laughed, eaten, decorated the tree, watched movies, had wine, kissed, had more wine, kissed again... Holly was so beautiful and smelled so good. He had forgotten what it was like to be with a woman so wonderful. A woman who accepted him as he was, not like Terri; a woman who was so easygoing and uncomplicated, not like Emma. _Emma. _No. No more Emma. _Get a grip, Will__. _Holly's words resounded in his head: _"She's moved on. I think you need to, too."_

They sat in silence, close in the dark, sipping wine, watching the timeless classic_, _not speaking.

_*What is it you want, Mary? What do you want? You want the moon? Just say the word and I'll throw a lasso around it and pull it down. Hey. That's a pretty good idea. I'll give you the moon, Mary.* *I'll take it. Then what?*_

Will felt Holly thread her fingers through his own hand. He glanced down at her to find her gazing into his eyes.

_*Well, then you could swallow it, and it'd all dissolve, see? And the moonbeams'd shoot out of your fingers and your toes, and the ends of your hair... Am I talking too much?*_

Will brought his other hand to Holly's cheek, caressing her jaw.

_*Yes! Why don't you kiss her instead of talking her to death?* _

Will licked his lips slightly and leaned toward Holly, who sat up slightly to meet him halfway.

_*How's that?* _

Will brushed his lips so slightly over Holly's. He heard her breath hitch slightly.

_*Why don't you kiss her instead of talking her to death?* _

Holly smiled softly and brought her arms around Will's neck.

_*Want me to kiss her, huh?* _

Will's lips crashed into Holly's. His hands were everywhere, in her hair, down her shoulders. She responded in kind, pushing him back on the couch to straddle him and kissing him deeply. Will's hands crept under Holly's shirt. Suddenly she grabbed both his wrists and said, "Wait."

"What's wrong?" asked Will.

Holly looked pained. She was still panting slightly, and dropped her head slightly. "I have to tell you something."

"You're not a virgin, are you?" asked Will. _God, please say no. Please say no._

_"What?_ Uh, no. No. Not for a while now."

Will slid his hands up her arms. "What's going on?"

Holly took both of Wills hands in her own. "Do you remember how I told you about my mom and sister, and the car accident?"

Will nodded as Holly continued. She slid off his lap and stood up.

"Well, what I didn't tell you was that... I was in the car too. I was terribly injured. They didn't think I'd make it. I had broken bones, all kinds of internal bleeding. I had to have a lot of surgery to fix all the damage. But... the car caught fire, and I was burned pretty badly on my back. I don't remember any of it. I remember driving, screeching brakes, the car imploding. I woke up twenty-three days later in traction, in agony. My dad was there. But..."

Will stood up and stood before her. "But..."

"Will, I'm a mess. Between my neck and my thighs, I'm one big ugly mass of scar tissue."

Will didn't know what to say. He leant in and kissed her softly on lips.

"Show me."

Will reached over and began to unbutton Holly's blouse. When it was open, he pushed the blouse away from her shoulders and let it fall to the floor behind her.

In the paleness of the Christmas lights, will could see numerous scars on her chest, belly, one slight one across her left breast. He leaned down and kissed her bare shoulder and then slowly walked behind her. He breathed in slightly when he saw her back, a mottled mass of shiny pink skin.

"Are you in pain?" he asked quietly.

"No. These scars are over twenty years old."

Will circled Holly and stood before her. His hand caressed her face. "I think you're beautiful," was all he said. Holly smiled, her eyes glistening.

He took her hand and kissed it, and led her to the bedroom.

_*Ah, youth is wasted on the wrong people!*_


	4. Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree

Here's a quickie filler chapter to bridge us over to what's coming up. Some have expressed a problem with the direction this story has gone, how it seems more Will/Holly than Will/Emma, but rest assured our beloved couple will end up together in the end. I guess I just have a roundabout way of storytelling that isn't for everybody. The character of Holly intrigues me, I kinda get where her aloneness might come from and just wanted to explore the possibilities further. To those I have offended, I'm sorry. But, it's my story and I'll tell it the way I want. Guess I just didn't want to see Will alone at Christmas ... no one that fine deserves to be alone! :) Thank you to everyone who left reviews. You're the best! Hope you'll all hang in with me till the end.

I don't own/have any right to anything _Glee_. Damn.

* * *

_I'm officially in hell. That's where I am._ Emma surveyed the mayhem that was her living room. _All these people. At my house. Touching my things. Spilling liquids on my carpet. Dropping crumbs everywhere_. She watched in horror as Marty Gilford, Carl's accountant, double-dip his shrimp into the sauce, not once, but twice. Twice! _What are you, four?_ Emma thought with disgust. She slowly made her way through the crowd, trying not to touch anyone as she passed, but trying to be polite about it, of course. Carl's annual Christmas Eve party was in full swing and she wanted nothing more than to sneak upstairs and hide in her closet until everyone had left.

"Emma! Over here!" called Carl.

Emma squeezed her way through to her husband, who was standing with a large, beet-faced man who was holding a wineglass in one hand and a handkerchief in the other.

"Emma, this is Dr. Barry McEvoy, one of the finest endodontists in Ohio. He gave me my first job when I moved here."

Just then Dr. McEvoy let out a large sneeze into the handkerchief he was holding and wiped his nose with it numerous times.

"Sorry, sorry, bit of a cold, that's all." He smiled broadly at Emma and proffered his hand. Emma recoiled slightly at the thought of shaking this obviously ill man's hand.

"Aw heck, never mind the handshake! C'mere!" at which point he launched himself at Emma and embraced her in a large bearhug. "I'm so happy for you both! Congratulations on your marriage!" the man gushed.

When he released Emma, she stammered, "...uh, very nice to meet you, willyouexcusemeplease?" Emma turned on her heel and made her way back through the crowd towards the stairs. She glanced back at Carl, who was having the time of his life, completely oblivious to his wife's discomfort.

Once upstairs, Emma immediately went to the ensuite bathroom in her and Carl's bedroom (she wasn't going to use the other bathroom the partygoers were using until it had been sanitized) and washed her hands thoroughly. When she emerged, she was drawn to the stacks of invitiations on their bedside table, all of which had been addressed today. Luckily, some of the guests downstairs were also coming to the wedding on New Year's Eve, so Carl handed them out as he saw guests arriving. There were only a few left, which she and Carl had decided they would hand deliver over the next few days. Emma pulled a blank invitation from the box, sat down on the bed, and read,

_Emma Pillsbury _

_and_

_Carl Howell_

_request the honour of your presence_

_as they reaffirm their wedding vows_

_Friday, December 31, 2010 at 6:00 p.m._

_Wesley United Church, Lima, Ohio._

_Reception to follow..._

Emma swallowed audibly and shook her head. _How did I get into this? _she thought to herself. Her thoughts were interruped by a faint knocking at the door. Emma turned around to see her mother entering.

"Is everything OK, Emma?" her mother asked kindly.

"Sure, mom, it just the crowd, you know..." she answered.

Sitting on the bed beside her daughter, Mrs. Pillsbury asked gently, "I think it might be more than that. Am I right?"

Emma turned to face her mother. "Mom, did you ever wake up in the morning and wonder, how in _God's name _did I end up here? Have you ever second-guessed the choices that you've made? Maybe, if you'd done or said something different, you'd be in a different place in your life?" _Or with a different person_. Emma shook her head.

"Are you talking about regrets?"

"Yeah. I am."

"All I know is that the choices we make, whether they're the right ones or the wrong ones, make us the people we are. Make a right choice, and it's cause for celebration. Make a wrong one, not so much. But if you learn something from it, even a wrong choice can turn into something good. " Mrs. Pillsbury sighed. "It's called life."

Emma smiled at her mother. "Where's daddy?"

"Oh, you know him, he's downstairs into the brandy talking someone's ear off about the latest Supreme Court decision or something. Are you coming back downstairs?" asked Emma's mother.

"Um, in a bit. I just need some space right now," responded Emma.

Mrs. Pillsbury came and stood before her daughter and looked at her pointedly. "Are you regretting a choice you've made Emma? Because, if you have, and you want to make a different choice, it's never too late." Emma's mother smiled and left her daughter sitting on the bed.

_But I think it might already be, _thought Emma sadly.

Emma took a blank envelope from the box and inserted the invitation she was holding into it. She tucked the flap of the envelope into itself (she never licked anything) and flipping it over, she wrote, "Will" and after a second, wrote "..and guest". Emma slipped the invitation into her purse, which was sitting beside her bed, and rose to rejoin the party.


	5. What Are You Doing New Years Eve?

Okay, it's 3:19 a.m. on Christmas morning and my kids are probably going to be up in about four hours, but I wanted to get the Christmas Day chapter up for Christmas Day.

Thank you again for all of your kind comments, I appreciate all comments, good and bad. Good, mostly. Methinks _some _people need to switch to decaf. :)

I hope you and your families have a wondrous, magical and _Glee_-ful Christmas.

I don't own/have any claim or right to anything _Glee_. Damn.

* * *

Will drove home slowly Christmas morning. It had snowed the night before and the roads were slick. He felt tired, but sated. But also, somehow... off. While last night was completely amazing and Holly was wonderful, she just wasn't... _Emma_, he thought. _Time to move on_. _Unfortunately._ He recalled the events of their Christmas morning together.

_"Here, open yours first," Holly said excitedly, handing Will a small shiny gold package. Will tore into the paper and then opened the box within. He grinned broadly. "A new wallet. Thanks."_

_"Well, the old one was pretty waterlogged, I thought you could use a it," Holly replied._

_"Your turn," said Will, handing her a wrapped package._

_Holly unwrapped the paper and popped open the box. Inside was a small snowglobe. The scene in the globe was a country setting, and two little girls building a snowman._

_"It's musical," said Will. Holly inverted the globe and cranked the small silver-coloured knob. A tinkly version of "The Holly and The Ivy" began to play. Holly was wonderstruck. "Oh my God, this was my mom's favourite carol. Me and my sister... thanks, Will, it's beautiful." Holly carefully shook the globe and placed it on the table in front of her, and gazed at it for a time._

_"What about that one?" asked Will, pointing to the last remaining item under the tree._

_"Oh, that's my splurge gift to me. It's been so long since I bought it I forget what it looks like." Holly unwrapped her gift to herself. She let in a theatrical inhale. "It's just want I wanted! Oh, aren't you so pretty, yes you are..." She spoke to the handbag within the box, caressing it as though it were a cat. This cracked Will up. "Hey, it's kate spade...got it eighty-five percent off last March."_

Will hung around for another cup of coffee before leaving Holly's place and heading home. They had decided that they both needed a turkey fill and Will was lucky enough to get two reservations at the Sheraton's Christmas banquet. They had agreed that Holly would meet him at his place and they would go to dinner from there.

Once home, Will showered, shaved, and dressed in one of this best suits, adding a festive red necktie. As he was finishing the knot, he heard a knock. Will checked his watch and headed to the door.

"Hey, you're earl...Emma?" said Will as he opened the door.

"Hi Will." Emma gave him a small smile. "How are you?"

"Um, good, you?"

"Great. Can I come in?"

"Sure, of course, come in." Will stood aside to let Emma by.

_Oh my God, he looks amazing_, thought Emma as she walked past.

They stood and stared at each other for a few seconds.

"Well, Merry Christmas Will," said Emma with a smile.

"Merry Christmas to you too. What...are you doing here?" asked Will quizically.

"Well, I was in the neighbourhood...I actually had something to drop off for you, and, well, I just wanted to see if you were okay. You seemed kind of down when I saw you at school... Are you going somewhere? You're all dressed up."

"Yeah, I kind of have a date."

"Oh? A date...um, with who?"

"Her name is Holly Holiday, she temped at the school this fall, I guess you two didn't meet."

"Um, no, I don't remember her..."

But Emma did.

_Emma rushed toward the auditorium. She had heard that the glee club was working on a new number for sectionals and was dying to see it first-hand. Upon entering the darkened auditorium, she slipped into the back row just as the number started. Quinn started singing Rihanna's "Umbrella"...wait, that's not Quinn...who is that? That's when she noticed Will just behind. She watched the entire number, the two of them together, dancing, singing, exchanging looks, the looks he used to give to her... Emma couldn't help but be jealous. As the number wrapped up and Will slipped his arm around the blonde's waist while they effortlessly twisted around the stage, Emma couldn't take it any more. She got up and exited the auditorium unnoticed. "I've lost him," she thought morosely._

"Well, we've only been seeing each other a few days, really."

"Wow. I really happy for you." Emma tried to plaster on a smile and was afraid it was unconvincing.

Will eyed her suspiciously. "How about you? Are you happy?

"Oh, well, you know, married life is give-and-take, ups-and-downs, and all that..."

"But are you happy?"

Emma paused for a moment and looked directly into Will's eyes. "Mostly. Anyway, this is for you," Emma said as she reached into her purse and pulled out a white envelope. "I'll just leave it here." She placed the wedding invitation on the table by the front door.

Emma said softly, "I know you said you wanted to keep our lives separate, Will, but...I miss you. I miss talking to you. I miss having you as my friend."

_Friend. Damn, I hate that word_, thought Will.

"I miss you too. But you know I miss you for a different reason."

"Will..."

"Emma, I can't help it. I love you. Even today, I'm in love with you. I'm in love with a married woman. That's why we need to keep things separate. That's why I can't be your friend. Don't you understand? it drives me crazy to think that you're with someone else. That you go home to him at night, that he's ... allowed to touch you and _be_ with you. " Will was getting more agitated by the moment. He took a deep, calming breath and ran a hand through his hair. "Sorry, that was uncalled for."

"No, no, it's okay, you're just being honest." Emma looked at him; he looked miserable. She knew exactly what it felt like to be in love with someone who was married to someone else. She wished she could be just as honest.

"Look, maybe you should go, Holly's due here soon," Will said softly.

"Okay." Emma turned toward the door to leave when she noticed it. Mistletoe, hanging from the light fixture by his door. Will had hung the mistletoe Holly had given him two days before, out of tradition. Seizing the moment, Emma turned and looked above. Will followed where her eyes were looking. Before he could say anything, Emma had bridged the distance between them and standing slightly on tiptoe, stretched up and kissed him lightly on the lips.

"Why did you do that?" breathed Will as she stepped back.

"I'm not sure. Oh, God." Emma was starting to panic.

"Emma, take it easy, breathe."

"I have to go." Emma twisted the doorhandle and as she exited Will's apartment, he said, "Emma, wait... thanks for the Christmas card." She was halfway down the hall and the door had closed before she realized what he had said. _But it's not a Christmas card._

__

_

* * *

_

Holly made her way down the hallway to Will's apartment and smiled politely at the petite redhead rushing past her. Will answered her knock almost immediately.

"Oh, hi," Will said as he turned back into his apartment.

" 'Oh, hi?' That's all I get?" Holly said with a smile. That's when she noticed that Will was distressed. Her smile faded. "What's wrong?"

Will had perched himself on the arm of his sofa. "Emma was just here."

"Emma? You mean Emma-Emma? What did she want?" asked Holly.

"She came to give me _this." _Will extended his hand and passed the wedding invitation to Holly. "What are you doing New Year's Eve?"

Holly took the card from Will and scanned it quickly. "_Reaffirmation of vows_, huh? And they invited you? Harsh."

"Look, there's something else. She kissed me." Will looked up at Holly to gauge her reaction. "And I kissed her back. Under your mistletoe."

"Remind me to poison that plant when I get home," Holly groused. Softly, she asked, "You really love her, don't you?"

"Yeah, I really do. I'm so sorry. What a mess." Will sighed and shook his head sadly.

"Sounds like she still might have feelings for you, too," said Holly.

"But she's married!"

"Marriages end, right?"

"I will not be the reason their marriage ends." Will looked incredulous.

"You might be the reason their marriage doesn't have a chance in the first place."

Will looked at Holly with a confused look on her face. "Do you think she still has feelings for me? Why would she invite me to her wedding?"

Holly mused, "Maybe she hopes you'll stand up and show just cause why the couple shouldn't be married. You know, the whole speak now or forever hold your peace thing."

"But they're already married."

"Eh. Semantics."

Holly stood before Will. "Look, I'm not much in the mood for dinner any more, and I don't think you are, either. I think I'll go home."

Will began to protest but Holly interrupted. "It's okay. Listen, I'm out of town for a few days. My buddy Monica and I always hit the outlet malls outside Cleveland the week after Christmas, so I'm driving there tomorrow. I'll be home on Thursday. If you want me to go to the wedding with you, give me a call, okay?" She ran a hand through his hair. "We'll go...as friends. We'll go to the reception and get really drunk and I'll puke on Carl if you want."

Will smiled broadly at this prospect. "As friends. Is that we we are now?"

"Good friends," replied Holly.

"Thank you, friend." Will rose and embraced Holly, and walked her to the door.


	6. All is Calm, All is Bright

Greetings to all my fellow Boxing Day-ers. The next chapter still takes place on Christmas Day, but I was too tired the other night to tack it on to the last chapter, and with yesterday's festivities, I didn't even get a chance to turn my computer on.

Hope you are all not in too much of a turkey coma to read. Keep the reviews coming, I'm loving them!

* * *

Will sat in front of his Christmas tree for a long time after Holly left. His heart longed for Emma, he could still feel her kiss on his lips. _Why was she doing this to him_? He glared at the wedding invitation on the table in front of him and scooped it up, resisting the urge to rip it to shreds and throw it in his fireplace. Rising to his feet, he grabbed his coat and headed out the door.

The evening was calm and cold, and the waning full moon brightened the snow around him. Will got in his car, started it and pulled onto the street, and drove. He eventually came to a nondescript brick building on the edge of downtown. Killing the engine, he cranked down the window to read the sign rising from the snow-covered front lawn. "Wesley United Church - All Welcome - Come Worship With Us - Sundays 10 am" and just below that, "Christmas Day Celebration, 10 am, 12 pm, 8 pm". The glowing clock on this dashboard read 7:48. That's when he heard it: music. Rolling the window back up, Will locked and exited his car and made his way up the steps of the church with the crowd already entering.

Will Schuester was not a particularly spiritual man. He remembered yearly treks with his parents to the Anglican church down the street at Christmas at Easter, but that was about it. One thing he did remember, though, was the music. That made going to church worth the effort, even when he was a kid.

He slid into a pew near the back next to an elderly man, who smiled at him warmly. He sat in silence, gazing around the interior of the church. It was bright and cheery, and decked out in Christmas finery. The walls were an ivory yellow, the carpeting deep crimson. The stained glass windows, though darkened due to nighttime, would be spectacular in the light of day. He could see Emma fitting in to the elegance of this place, gliding down the aisle in a white dress to her groom. _To Carl_.

The service started and Will followed along as best he could, trying to derive some guidance and comfort from the words spoken by the pastor: hope, joy, love. Season of giving, of miracles. He rose to his feet and sang along with everyone to the most beloved of Christmas hymns: "O Come O Come Emmanuel", "Angels We Have Heard on High", "Joy to the World" and his favourite, "Silent Night." It felt cathartic to be singing just for the joy of it; no competition, no performance, not for educational purposes. Just to rise and sing. It was freeing.

As the service ended and Will buttoned his coat to leave, a middle-aged woman approached him and asked him if he would be interested in joining their choir. His amazing voice had not gone unnoticed. Will smiled and politely declined.

"Shame," said the woman, "we have a last-minute wedding on Friday and half of our choir is out."

"No. Thanks, anyway," Will smiled ruefully and said good-bye to the woman.

* * *

_You kissed him. You kissed Will Schuester. On the mouth. What were you thinking?_

Emma drove around aimlessly through the streets of Lima for hours, thinking, obsessing.

__

_He still loves me._

And...I love him.

The realization made her nearly drive off the road.

_I love Will._

_But I love Carl. Don't I?_

Emma loved being Carl's girlfriend. He was kind, and generous, and good looking. She loved that he was able to help her with her OCD, to help break some of her obsessive habits. She loved that he was helping her to be less structured, more spontaneous. But Emma thrived on structure. Spontaneity was fine sometimes, but it seemed to Emma that Carl wanted it to be their way of life.

_Hey, Emma, let's mix the grapes. Hey, Emma, let's go to a mangy, rat-infested theatre to watch Rocky Horror. Hey, Emma, let's get on a plane and go to Vegas for the weekend. Hey Emma, let's buy this ring and get married at the first cheesy chapel we come to on the Strip. _

_Hey, Emma, here's a huge cliff with pointy rocks at the bottom, let's jump off! It'll be okay, I promise!_

Emma sighed as she steered her car up one Christmas-lighted street after another.

_Will wanted to help me. Carl just wants to change me._

Married life wasn't all it was cracked up to be, either. Emma understood that married life was all about compromise and acceptance and peaceful co-existence and all that, but sometimes she felt that she was living with the boogey-man waiting to jump out at her from the dark shadows of her bedroom just to see her reaction. She felt as though for every step forward she made in overcoming her problems, Carl took a mile. With him there were no baby steps. Just great, terrifying quantum leaps. When they dated, he used to actually care that she was anxious or distressed. Now he thought it was a cute foible and dismissed it.

_I have to tell Carl we're through. Tonight._

Emma knew the inevitable waited for her at home and she took the next left, backtracking to her house.

When she arrived, all the lights were out. She unlocked the front door, removed her boots and coat, and made her way into the front foyer.

"Where have you been?"

Emma nearly jumped a foot. Carl was sitting alone in the living room, in a wing chair next to the lit Christmas tree. The boogey-man awaits.

"Oh, just out. Delivering invitations." Emma made her way over to where Carl was sitting.

"Until midnight? Did you get lost?" Carl said humourlessly. "I was worried sick about you. Why didn't you answer your phone?"

"I forgot to bring it with me."

Carl stared at Emma for a few seconds, sighed, then stood and encompassed Emma in a gentle hug. "Well, thank God you're all right. I'm heading to bed. You coming?"

"Soon." Carl gave her a kiss on the forehead and headed up the stairs.

Emma sat in the chair Carl had just vacated.

_Emma Pillsbury, you're a coward, _she thought to herself.


	7. Ding Dong Merrily On High

Hey, all. Enjoy. Probably two more chapters after this one.

Didn't get the rights to _Glee _for Christmas. Double-damn.

* * *

Will had hard time concentrating the week before New Year's Eve. A half a dozen times he had Emma's number dialled before hanging up the phone. He agonized about the upcoming nuptials. The knot in his stomach prevented him from eating much. He tried to occupy his time by going to school, preparing lessons, grading papers, researching sheet music for the glee club. He cleaned his office and shredded old files. He rearranged and then rearranged again the desks in his Spanish class.

He called Holly on Thursday evening, the night before the wedding.

_"You sure about this?" she asked._

_"No, but if I don't go then I'll never know for sure if there was something I could have done to win her back. I need to see that she's happy. I think I need to see it happen. For closure. Does that make sense?"_

_"Not really, but I'm there for you. Pick me up tomorrow?"_

Will slept poorly that night, waking constantly, with anguished, disjointed dreams dissipating as he woke, Emma's name on his lips.

On Friday afternoon, Will picked up Holly and headed toward the church. They parked in the church lot, and made their way through the slush, her arm linked in his. The church bell ding-donged merrily, welcoming the wedding guests. A shiny, white stretch limo was parked in front of the church, a sure sign that the bride had arrived.

Suddenly, Will stopped short.

"What's wrong?" asked Holly, her face full of concern.

"I can't do it. I can't go in there." Will whispered, visibly upset.

Holly looked at him sympathetically and nodded. She relinked her arm through Will's. "It's okay. Let's go. C'mon, I'll buy you a cup of coffee." She motioned the coffee shop across the street. Will nodded almost imperceptibly and allowed himself to be steered toward the restaurant.

The pair chose a booth by the window and slid into the seats. After doffing scarves and coats, Holly ordered a cup of coffee for each of them from the waitress that appeared.

"Time?" asked Will.

Holly checked her watch. "5:53."

They sat in silence for the seven minutes, sipping coffee. The church bells stopped. It was 6:00 p.m.

Holly reached over and squeezed Will's hand and gave him a sympathetic smile.

"I'm sorry, Will. It's gonna be okay." The words sounded hollow but it was the best she could do to comfort her friend.

"I hope so. Thanks Holly." Will let out a shaky sigh.

Will began to talk about other things, school, glee, his parents, anything. Holly just let him ramble, interjecting with the occasional _mm-hmm._

Just then, something caught Holly's eye. Her vantage point from the restaurant afforded her a perfect view of the front of the church. There seemed to be some commotion. She spied Emma on the sidewalk, a sight in white, arguing with an older couple, quite likely her parents. A swarthy dark-haired man exited the church and stalked toward Emma, arms waving, visibly shouting. Carl.

_Hoo boy, _thought Holly.

Will was not witness to any of this, he continued to talk, oblivious to the drama in front of the church.

"Will," said Holly, forcefully enough that Will stopped talking in mid-sentence and looked at her.

"What?" asked Will, confused by her interruption.

Holly glance out the window briefly, but long enough to see Carl climb into his shiny black Jaguar and race down the street, leaving Emma and her parents standing on the sidewalk in front of the church.

Holly looked directly at Will. "Hypothetical situation for you, Will. What if, I dunno, Emma decided not to go through with the wedding today? What if she decided to, say, end her relationship with Carl? Today? What if she showed up in this coffee shop right now in her wedding gown and sat down where I'm sitting, and told you she loved you, and wanted to be with you? What would you do?"

Will shook his head slightly, "Uh...hypothetically, right?"

"Yes, yeah, hypothetically. Would you take her back?"

Out of the corner of her eye Holly saw Emma hurdle a slushy snowbank and make her way to the coffee shop.

"Yes. I would. I'm sorry if that hurts you."

Holly didn't think it would hurt, but it did. She tried not to let it show. She pulled her coat over her shoulders and grabbed her handbag.

"Where are you going?" asked Will.

"Uh...ladies room."

"Why are you taking your coat?"

"Cold."

Holly slid out from the booth seat and bent over Will, kissing him lightly on the forehead, and walked away.

Instead of heading for the bathroom, Holly headed toward the exit. She waited in the small alcove by the front door for a few seconds, until it opened, revealing a rumpled, slush-covered, tear-stained Emma. Emma stopped in her tracks and gaped wide-eyed at Holly.

"Hi. I'm Holly. It's nice to meet you. Will's right over there." She pointed toward the back of Will's head. "Can I just say something? Will loves you, very, very much. He wants to be with you more than anything. But I'll tell you one thing right now. If you hurt him, or screw it up with him again, I will be swooping in and scooping him back so fast, it'll make the fillings in your teeth rattle. Understand?"

Emma gave a short, frightened nod.

"Good." Holly cleared her throat and looked down at Emma. "Your dress is beautiful." She gave Emma a small smile and left the restaurant.

Emma turned and watched Holly go. She saw her walk a few steps, hail a cab, and leave.

Emma made her way into the coffee shop. The train of her dress was muddy. Her veil was askew. Mascara tracks trailed down her cheeks. All of the patrons stopped to gawk at her but she didn't care. All she could focus on was the back of Will's head as she headed toward where he was sitting.

Will was absently staring out the window and fiddling with his coffee spoon when Emma slid into the seat across from him. He turned to look at her, expecting it to be Holly.

"Emma? What are doing here...?" Will exclaimed.

"I did it. I left him. Oh, God..." Emma let her forehead clunk forward onto the table.

The waitress approached warily and eyed Emma. "Uh...can I get you guys anything?"

Will answered, "A bottle of water. And a straw." The waitress nodded and scurried away.

Will glanced back down at Emma, her forehead still on the table.

"Oh God, oh God..." she kept chanting.

Will smiled in spite of the situation. "Emma."

Emma looked up at Will, into his kind, non-judgmental eyes. "Hi, Will. What's new?" She hiccoughed a watery laugh and rested her forehead back on the table.

The waitress brought the water and straw and placed it in front of Emma's head. "Anything else?" asked the waitress.

"Um, no thanks, that'll be everything, just the check please," answered Will with a casual smile, as though a sobbing bride sitting at his table was the most natural thing in the world.

Will twisted off the cap on the waterbottle. Emma lifted her head in time to see Will slip the straw into the neck of the bottle and slide the drink toward her.

She looked oddly at the bottle for the longest time, then at him. Grabbing the straw Emma nearly finished the entire bottle in one go.

"Thirsty?" Will asked, a bemused smile on his face.

"I love you," Emma said simply, slightly breathless from drinking so quickly.

The smile left Will's face and his mouth hung slightly agape.

"Wait. What?"

"I love you," she said again, more strongly this time.

Emma was rewarded with one of Will's beautiful smiles. He had waited so long to hear those words from her. He hadn't anticipated hearing them in this setting, in a greasy-spoon restaurant on New Year's Eve, surrounded by tacky Christmas decorations and the smell of french fries in the air, with Emma in a wedding gown, but he'll take it.

"I love you too," whispered Will. Emma stared at Will for the longest time. A tear streaked down her grimy face, but she was smiling. Will reached over and brushed the tear away with the pad of his thumb.

"Do you want to leave?" he asked gently.

"Can we wait a bit? Until everyone leaves?" She motioned out the front window at all the guests leaving the church. She watched as the limo driver opened the doors of her limo to her parents, who climbed into its luxurious interior. The driver shut the door, got behind the steering wheel, and drove away. "I'm so humiliated...uuhhh!" Emma covered her eyes with her hands, resting her elbows on the table.

Will reached over and peeled one of Emma's hands off her face and held it in his own, and smiled.

Just then, Will remembered that Holly was in the bathroom and mentioned this to Emma.

"No, I spoke to her at the door. She left." She told Will what Holly had said to her.

Will was touched that Holly hadn't stood in the way of his happiness. She had even sacrificed her own happiness so he could be with Emma.

Will paid the check and the two left the coffee shop, hand in hand, with Emma wearing Will's coat.

"Say it again," Will whispered in Emma's ear as they crossed the street to the lot where Will's car was parked.

"I love you," she whispered back in his ear. Will grinned like a teenager.

When they reached his car, he turned her toward him, looked directly into her eyes, and said, "I will _always_ love you." He caressed her face with both hands, leaned down, and kissed her deeply. She responded, sighing into the kiss, her arms snaking around his waist.

They broke apart and Will opened the passenger side door of his car for her.

"Where to?" he asked.

"Your place, for now. I can't face Carl yet." Emma looked unsettled at the prospect.

"We'll get through this together, Emma. I'll be there for you."

Emma smiled. "Thank you." Will placed a small peck on her lips and helped Emma into his car, stuffing her dress in after her.

_Cue Halleluja Chorus._


	8. Sleep in Heavenly Peace

Howdy everyone, thanks for hanging in.

Second to last chapter.

I still don't own/have any rights to anything _Glee_. Damn.

* * *

"...I'm okay, really mom...uh-huh...no...oh, mom, wait! no...oh, hi daddy..."

Will sat on his sofa and watched Emma pace around his apartment, cordless phone in hand. She had been speaking to her parents for nearly a half an hour.

"...no really, daddy, I promise, everything's okay, I'm at a friend's house, I'm safe..." Emma glanced at Will and smiled. "...no, it's fine, really, daddy...um, okay, bye. Love you too, call me when you get there. Yeah, bye." Emma disconnected the call with a press of a button and exhaled sharply.

"So...?" enquired Will.

"So, they got back to the house before Carl and just waited in the limo until he got there." Emma placed the receiver back on its cradle and joined Will on the couch. She crossed her bare legs under her and tucked her wet hair behind each ear before continuing. "He was furious. He just old them to get their things and leave. So, that's what they did. My dad said Carl was into the whiskey pretty heavily by the time they left so my dad found all the car keys in the house and hid them in the water tank of the downstairs toilet." Will smiled. "The limo driver was nice enough to take them to a hotel near the airport. Their flight is at 10:30 tomorrow morning." Emma reached over and retrieved her wineglass, and took a large gulp.

Will's phone rang. Again. They both leaned down to look at the screen. The caller ID read "C. Howell." Again. They both ignored it and it went to voicemail.

Will regarded her closely. She looked beautiful, even with no makeup and wet hair, sitting there in his oversized t-shirt and a pair of his woollen socks. She also looked very tired, tell-tale dark shadows prevalent under her eyes. The first thing Emma had done when she walked in Will's front door was to take a very long, very hot shower. She then stuffed her ruined wedding dress into a large green garbage bag and she herself walked down the hall to the garbage chute to dispose of it.

"How are your folks handling this?" asked Will gently.

"My dad's pretty upset, but, he wants me to be happy. My mom saw it coming, I think."

"Parents are pretty perceptive that way."

Will reached over and laced his fingers through Emma's. "What happened at the church?"

Emma sighed and took another swig of wine. "I was going to do it, Will. I really was. I kept telling myself that I wasn't really married unless I had a wedding, maybe that's why I didn't _feel _married, you know? Like I was just shacking up. Like it was temporary. And I thought if you were there, then you'd be giving me your blessing or something, and I could actually do it. But I saw you, I was in the little side room at the church waiting for the ceremony to start. I saw you outside through the window, coming with Holly, but you didn't come into the church. And then I saw you two go into the coffee shop and you didn't come out. That's when I knew I couldn't go through with it because you weren't there. Uh, I'm not explaining this right." Emma's delicate features were scrunched up in her effort to explain.

Will gave Emma a sad smile and said, "I couldn't watch you marry him."

Emma continued. "The only reason I agreed to go out with Carl in the first place was to make you jealous. It just spiralled out of control after that." After another sip, she said, "I was so confused when I got to the coffee shop. Part of me has this sense of obligation, to please everyone. I felt so guilty for not going through with it because I was letting so many people down. But I knew I made the right decision when you ordered me the water." Will looked confused. "You ordered me a water bottle. With a straw. Just what I would have done. Carl would have ordered me a glass of lukewarm tapwater in a dirty glass and would have convinced me to drink it even if there were floaters in it."

"I promise I will never make you drink any floaters, Emma." Will reached over and stroked Emma's face with back of his fingertips. "You hungry?"

"Yeah, I think I could eat." Emma laughed and joined her hand to Will's, and brought her lips to his hand, kissing it gently. "Love you."

"Love you too," said Will.

Will rose from the couch and headed to the kitchen. He heated some soup and made sandwiches, and went to retrieve Emma.

"Hey, it's ready, do you want to eat - " Will stopped short. Emma had curled up on the sofa and had fallen asleep. He grabbed a blanket from the back of the couch and gently placed it over her sleeping form, his hand gently passing over her hair as she slept.

"...4, 3, 2, 1..._ Happy New Year_!" Will glanced at the television which had been playing quietly in the background in time to watch the ball drop in Times Square. He watched couples pause to sing, and kiss, and celebrate. Looking back at Emma, he bent down and kissed her gently on the top of her head. "Happy New Year, Em." Will grabbed the remote, clicked off the television and made his way to his bedroom.

* * *

_Blam. Blam. Blam._ Will awoke from a deep sleep and paused to listen. He glanced at the digital clock on his bedside table: 3:41 a.m. He must have dreamt the noise, he thought groggily, and rolled over to go back to sleep. That's when he saw Emma, splayed out on her stomach, sound asleep, next to him. She had obviously found her way into his more comfortable bed and climbed in without disturbing him. He smiled and closed his eyes.

_BLAM. BLAM. BLAM. "Schuester!"_ Will was out of bed in a shot. _"Schuester! Open this door!" _Will sprinted to the front door in his bare feet, instinctively pausing to check through the peep-hole to see who it was, even though he already knew. Carl was standing, barely, outside his door. He was obviously smashed.

Will opened the door just as Carl raised his fist to bang on the door again.

"Carl. I have neighbours."

"Yeah, is that all you have Schuester? _Where. Is. My. Wife? _Huh?" Carl lurched into Will's apartment. "Emma!" he bellowed.

"Carl, shut up. She's sleeping. She's exhausted."

Carl got right up into Will's face, nose-to-nose. He reeked of booze, but Will didn't flinch, didn't bat an eyelash.

"Exhausted, huh? Is that right? Did you exhaust my wife, big man? Is that what you did?" Carl spat in a low, menacing voice.

"Carl -" said Will, his voice cold.

"Yeah, I'll just bet you did. I'll bet she's exhausted being with you, Mr. Smooth, Mr. Song-and-Dance Man," Carl whispered spitefully. "I'll bet you were _amazing."_

"Carl. Don't," said Will in a dangerous voice. Will was still staring Carl down but he was really starting to piss Will off.

"Better than me, I bet. Did she tell you that she wouldn't let me touch her for weeks after we were married? Huh? We were married almost a month before we had sex. _A month!_ The first and only time in our whole marriage. And she cried the whole time. Did she cry with _you? DID SHE?" _Carl was shouting directly into Will's face.

Will saw it coming. Carl screwed up his right fist and took a swing at Will, but Will stepped aside with ease, avoiding the blow. The force of the swing caused Carl to spin almost three hundred and sixty degrees and he nearly toppled over, but Will grabbed him by the torso and pushed him easily onto the sofa.

"Dumbass," grumbled Will under his breath. He plopped himself on the sofa opposite Carl.

Carl sat lopsided on the sofa and tried hard to keep his eyes focused. "Why couldn't she love me? Why you and not me? Why...?" Carl's head lolled to one side and within seconds, was passed out cold.

Will rolled his eyes and let out the breath he didn't realize he had been holding. Rising, he went back to his bedroom and checked on Emma. Still sleeping peacefully. _Nothing like a woman who can sleep like a rock,_ Will thought with bemusement before grabbing two blankets and heading back to the living room.

Carl was sleeping soundly, head back and snoring loudly. Will threw a blanket on Carl, then settled himself on the sofa opposite. He propped his feet on the table and covered himself with the other blanket, regarding the drunken dentist with disgust.

* * *

"Will...Will." Will awoke to find Emma trying to awaken him, shaking him gently on the shoulder. He was still in a seated position on his sofa and covered with a blanket. He pulled his long legs off the table in front of him and stood carefully, stretching out the kinks.

"Emma, Carl..."

"Yeah, I saw him this morning when I woke up. He left a few minutes ago."

Will wrapped his arms around Emma and hugged her close. "Are you okay?"

"I'm okay. We spoke briefly. Carl's moving out, staying at a collegue's while they're out of the country. He said I could have the house, at least for now. Until we sell it, or whatever." Emma sighed and rested her cheek on Will's chest.

"You could stay here, you know."

Emma looked up at him with her big brown eyes and smiled. "I'd like that. Alot. But for now I should go home."

Will grabbed his coat and keys and as headed to the door with Emma, he realized her clothes. They were his. His shirt, his sweatpants, his hoodie.

"Nice duds," smirked Will.

"Ha. Ha. Laugh all you want, you're not getting your clothes back," Emma responded casually.

"The white satin shoes really make the outfit," countered Will.

"You can't have those either, mister."

Laughing, Will pulled the door closed behind him, and that's when he noticed it: the shrivelled sprig of mistletoe still hanging above his door.

* * *

"Will." Holly breathed his name and smiled as she opened her door and saw him standing there. Her smile disintegrated when she saw his apologetic expression.

"Hey. Happy New Year."

"For you maybe. You're here to to end this, aren't you?" Holly asked softly. She sighed. "C'mon in."

Will followed Holly into her apartment. It looked vastly different than the last time he had seen it. Gone were the twinkling lights and giant snowflakes; the Christmas tree was half bare. Holly was in the process of stripping the tree and depositing its contents into the various opened cardboard boxes strewn about the room. She resumed her de-Christmasing of the tree.

Will regarded her appearance; fuzzy white robe, slippers, hair in knot, eyes red.

"You two are back together?" Holly asked without looking at him, removing and wrapping Christmas tree ornaments and gingerly placing them into the box in front of her.

"Yeah. We are," answered Will.

"Great. Fabulous. Congrats." Holly sniffed.

"Hey, are you okay?"

"Me? Pph, of course. Fine."

"Hey." Will turned her gently to face him. "Talk to me."

Holly inhaled shakily. "Okay, see, it's like this. I don't do relationships as a general rule, you know that. They scare the crap out of me. But suddenly, there you were, and I was thinking to myself, here's someone I could _be_ with." She shook her head.

"I'm so sorry I hurt you," Will said softly.

"I just didn't expect to fall for you as hard as I did." Holly extracted herself from Will's grasp and continued her chores. "I'll be fine," she murmured.

"No, it's not fine. You were there for me when I really needed someone. I'll always be thankful to you for that. You're pretty special you know. You have this carefree spirit that I envy. You made me feel alive when I didn't think I could feel anything."

Holly looked at him sideways and smirked. "I am pretty special, aren't I?"

"Absolutely. And we'll see each other at school. Your new job?"

"No, we won't see each other. Figgins left a message on my voicemail when I was in Cleveland. They offered the position to someone else."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be. I'll be all right." Holly put down the ornament she was holding and turned to face Will. "Be happy," she said, as she hugged him tightly.

"Thank you. For everything."

As Will turned to leave, Holly said, "Give me a call some time, I'll buy you a cup of coffee."

"Count on it." Will smiled broadly at her, and left her apartment.

Holly continued to pack boxes until she came to the snow globe Will had given her for Christmas. She cranked the music box, shook the globe lightly and placed it back on the table. She listened to the tinkly music and watched the snowy scene within the globe, tears rolling down her cheeks.


	9. Should Auld Acquaintance Be Forgot?

Well, here it is, finally. The last chapter of my first-ever story. My little Christmas project is over! It may not be to everyone's liking but this chapter was actually the first chapter I had written in my head. Guess I just have a soft spot for Holly because she's been the only one this season to make Mr. Shue smile. Or maybe it's because FOX has given us so little happiness for Will and Emma this season it's been frustrating trying to picture them together any more. I'm sure they'll get there eventually, though. Hope so, anyway.

To all of those who stopped by, and to those who left reviews, thank you. Oh, and Happy New Year!

Still don't own/claim the rights to anything _Glee_. Damn.

* * *

_Eleven-and-a-half months later:_

"Okay, everyone listen up!" Will stood in front of most of his glee students in the hallway of the hotel and tried to bring them to order. "Mr. Hummel will be accompanying those of you able to travel back to Lima today on the bus. So, Kurt, Finn, Quinn, Mike, Tina, Lauren and Santana. Grab your gear and meet back here a-sap! Everyone else, back to bed!" The remaining students groaned at this statement but willingly turned back and trudged to their respective hotel rooms, most of them too ill to put up much of a protest.

What had started out as a "fun" field trip to Cincinnati to participate in a show choir invitational Christmas performance turned into a fat disaster when most of the glee kids came down with a nasty gastro-intestinal virus after the performance. Thankfully the Hummels had also agreed to tag along as chaperones, anxious to see both their sons perform.

"Thanks for this, Burt, I really appreciate it," Will said to the older man, clapping him amicably on the shoulder.

"No problem, Will. Glad I can help," replied Burt. "Actually, I'm kinda looking forward to getting away from the puking for now." Burt gave a small shudder.

Will grinned tiredly as Burt turned to his wife, Carole. "You gonna be okay here, honey?"

Carole replied, "Of course, nothing I've never seen before. Go pack! Go!" She made shooing motions with her hands and smiled at her new husband.

"Love you," Burt murmured quietly, placing a kiss on his wife's cheek.

"Love you too. Now go."

Burt didn't need to be told twice. _How a big, burly guy-man can be so afraid of barf is beyond me_, Carole thought to herself bemusedly, as she turned to join the remaining ill girls in their room.

Will turned to face Artie. "Artie, I just talked to your dad, and he's on his way himself to pick you up."

Artie looked up at his teacher with feverish eyes and nodded. "Thanks, Mr. Schu. I...I think I'm going to..." Just then a large, handsome African-American man appeared behind Artie's wheelchair and skillfully steered him toward Artie's room. "I'm on it, Artie, take it easy, buddy." Will was thankful that one of Rachel's dads had accompanied them on the trip as well; Eddie Berry was a kind soul and had really taken Artie under his wing in the past twenty-four hours. For that, Will was eternally grateful.

"Will, you need to get to the drugstore, soon." Will turned and found Emma standing before him, surgical gloves on her hands, and mask on her face. "Don't forget to get some Immodium. I think a gallon will probably do. Get some more Tylenol, too. And some hand sanitizer." Will smiled fondly at Emma. Reaching up and pulling the mask down slightly so he could see her face, he said, "You don't have to stay, you know. If this is really getting to you, you can go back with Burt."

"Nope, I'm fine. Really. I'm staying with you." Her eyes, however, were like saucers. Will leaned in and planted a quick kiss on Emma's lips. "Trouper," he whispered.

"Mrs. Schuester...Mrs. Schuester?" Emma turned and saw a very green Brittany lurching towards her, and quickly replaced her surgical mask.

"Brittany, you shouldn't be out of bed." Emma rushed to the ill girl and taking her by the forearm, guided her back towards her room.

"Mrs. Schuester, why do you have horns? They're very pretty." Brittany reached up to touch the tip of the non-existent horns on Emma's head. "Why do they glitter? Are you magic?" Emma shot a glance back over her shoulder at Will, who smiled in spite of the situation.

Will looked at the fistful of prescriptions in his hand. _Thank God the concierge was able to find us a doctor who made house calls_, thought Will as he buttoned his coat and looped his scarf. "I'll be back as soon as I can, Em. I've got my phone if you need anything." Will saw her nod and disappear with Brittany into a room down the hall.

Will made his way down the stairs to the hotel lobby, which was festooned for the season. Large, white artificial trees lined the walls, decorated with clear lights and gold balls and ribbons. Will pulled his coat higher as he exited the hotel, bracing himself against the cold December wind. He started down the street, following the concierge's instructions to the Walgreens a short distance away. He was exhausted, having been up the better part of the night with the sick boys, and talking on the phone with parents to obtain permission to treat their kids with medication.

The drugstore was located at the centre of a small strip mall. Once inside, he gathered the medical supplies and prescriptions, and exited the store. Glancing casually around the parking lot, he spied a small green minivan just ahead. The door opened, and a pretty blonde woman swung herself out of her seat and planted her feet onto the slushy ground.

Will did a quick double-take. _Holly Holliday_.

Will smiled and headed in her direction. He hated to admit that he had really missed her. She was his saviour last Christmas. But so much had happened since then: Emma's divorce, then he and Emma getting married. Will and Holly had run into each other a few times in Lima since then, but they just exchanged pleasantries and a promise to call each other. Neither of them did.

Will watched as Holly swung open the rear door of the mini-van and retrieve a large object. Will stopped dead in his tracks when he realized what it was: A baby in a carry-style car seat.

Holly re-swung the door closed and locked her car with a soft honk from the remote on her keychain, and turned in Will's direction. She stood stock still in a puddle of slush, baby carrier in one hand, diaper bag in the other, eyes wide.

"_Will_?"

"Holly." Will looked from Holly to the baby and back again. "Please tell me you're babysitting."

"Umm..." Holly let out an exaggerated sigh and said, "Come on, it's time I bought you that cup of coffee."

* * *

Will placed two lattes on the table while Holly fussed over the sleeping baby, removing blankets and layers of clothes so the child wouldn't overheat.

Will sat and observed Holly. She looked as beautiful as ever, her long blonde hair pulled back in a tight ponytail, her skin glowing. When she was satisfied that the baby was comfortable, Holly turned her attention to Will.

"So," said Holly.

"So," responded Will. "Mine?" he said, looking toward the sleeping infant.

Holly nodded, her eyes gentle. "Yeah."

There was a long silence between them as Will was flooded with so many emotions all at once, he found it hard to take a breath. _The child was his_.

"Why didn't you tell me?" he asked.

"Why? What difference would it have made?" Holly said incredulously.

"It would have made a lot of difference. I - I could have been there for you, I could have helped you..."

"Will, you were on your honeymoon when I was in labour. That would've put a bit of a damper on your wedding night." Holly smiled gently at him. "Congratulations, by the way."

Holly's eyes were drawn to the baby. "When I found out I was pregnant, I was terrified. Me? A mother? _Me_. Then I was afraid you'd find out. I didn't want to mess things up with you and Emma, so I moved here to Cincinnati to avoid running into you. Full panic mode, you know me." Holly let out a short laugh and rolled her eyes. "But then ... I realized what a _miracle_ it was. Do you know three different doctors told me I would probably never conceive because of the damage caused in the accident? _Three_. And then, when he was born - "

"He?" said Will softly.

"Yeah, he." Holly took a sip of her coffee. "I named him Kristopher after my dad, spelled with a "K" for my mom." She paused and looked at Will. "Kristopher William."

Will inhaled a shaky breath and regarded the slumbering child. "He's really beautiful. He looks like you."

"Yeah, but he has your eyes, and check this out." Holly reached over and gently pulled the small blue cotton hat off the baby's head. A tumble of amber-brown curls appeared.

Will laughed and then turned his attention back to Holly. She was beaming with pride at her beautiful son and she gently teased the curls on his head with her fingers.

"I'm so sorry." He couldn't think of anything else to say.

"Don't be." Holly turned and looked at Will directly. "You gave me the best gift last Christmas I ever got. You gave me a _family_."

Holly continued, "I've reconnected with my cousin, Roxanne. She's a single mom too, she has a two year old girl. We've rented a house, and I've been supply teaching. She watches Kris when I work, I watch both kids when she works. So far, it's working out pretty well. I've become grounded. Dare I say, _responsible?_ _Oh, no_!" Holly laughed, exaggerating the statement by clutching the sides of her face. "A baby sure makes you grow up. Bummer." She smiled slyly.

"I just wish I could help you. Do you need money - " started Will.

Holly raised her hand in protest. "Will, no. I don't want your money. I don't want anything from you. I'm completely letting you off the hook on this one."

Will didn't know what to say. What would he tell Emma? Holly seemed to know what he was thinking and reached across the table to grasp Will's hand.

"Will, Emma will understand. She was married to someone else last Christmas. It was a crazy time for both of you. Life happens. Literally," pointedly looking at the baby.

"I've wanted a family for so long," said Will quietly.

"And you'll have one with Emma. You'll have adorable little red-haired girls and ruggedly handsome sons. A whole bunch of them. You can start your own glee club. Like the Von Trapps."

_Glee club_. Will suddenly realized that his students, and his wife, were waiting for him to return. As if on cue, his cell phone rang. Will fished for the device in his coat pocket and flipped it open. "Hello? Hi, Emma, yeah, I'm on my way, is everything going okay?" He listened for a few seconds and said, "See you shortly. Love you. Bye." Will snapped the phone shut and repocketed it. "I really have to get going."

"Okay, Will. And don't be upset. I'm finally happy. I'm not alone any more." Will had to admit that she looked very, very happy.

Will stood and Holly did the same. He looked at her for a long time and then stepped forward and embraced her.

"Please call me if you ever need anything," said Will.

"I will," replied Holly. _No, I won't,_ she thought_._

Will took a long look at the sleeping baby in the carrier, and with a pang of guilt, turned and left the coffee shop.

_FIN_


End file.
